Several conventional designs already exist for pneumatic wheel and tire assemblies for road going and air transportation. These conventional systems suffer several disadvantages. One disadvantage with pneumatic wheel and tire assemblies is that they can go flat or have a catastrophic failure such as a blowout. With a flat tire, a pneumatic wheel and tire assembly will require a repair or replacement before the vehicle can become operational again. With a blowout, on the other hand, a serious crash can occur that can cause injuries and possibly death to the occupants of the vehicle. Having air pressure to check and constantly maintain can also be a disadvantage of conventional systems, and a slow leak can go undetected. Low pressure can also have a negative impact on the fuel efficiency of the vehicle. A spare tire assembly is necessary with conventional designs, due to the fact that one tire may be flat and in need of repair, and the spare tire and jack equipment can additionally be a disadvantage in the overall weight of the vehicle. Moisture inside a pneumatic wheel and tire airspace can also cause corrosion over time. Another disadvantage with pneumatic wheel and tire assemblies is that they do not keep a constant pressure due to changing ambient temperatures, and this creates flux in operating conditions.
Many conventional designs also already exist for solid wheel and tire assemblies. One disadvantage with conventional solid wheel and tire assemblies is that they often need to be attached to the wheel frame in order to stay in place. Another disadvantage is that solid wheel and tire assemblies tend to be large, ridged and heavy, and these assemblies cannot often achieve high-speed operation. Solid tires have an advantage in load that they can bear, the fact that they have no air to release and can't go flat or blow out suddenly do to overheating, wear or punctures.